Brussels, 07/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheith, Egypt's Foreign Minister, was received on Thursday 6 December by the president of the European Parliament. Their discussion mainly covered the follow-up to the conference on the Middle East on 27 November in Annapolis. Hans-Gert Pöttering restated his choice in favour of the two states living side by side in peace. The minister said he was “shocked by the Israeli decision to build new settlements”, as he believes this runs counter to the spirit currently prevailing.
Speaking before the foreign affairs committee and members of the parliamentary delegation for cooperation with Mashrek, the Egyptian minister then gave a detailed presentation of the follow-up to the Annapolis conference. He said the conference “will not change the world” but would above all “reactivate negotiations”. These should unfold in the region according to a timetable and an organisation on which he gave details. These negotiations will be continued in the context of thematic committees and the minister hopes they will be finalised during 2008. He also recalled that a meeting of aid donors to Palestine will be held in Paris on 12 December.
The minister then answered parliamentarians' questions on the role of Egypt in the region and above all on its inability to contain the movement of arms towards Gaza, that he puts down to a lack of means. He also defended the right of his country to ensure that its legislation is upheld, in response to criticism by Beatrice Patrie (PES, France), especially on human rights and repression against the opposition, in particular the former presidential candidate, Ayman Nour, who was judged for a “criminal offence”, Mr Aboul Gheith maintained. He also dismissed the criticism of British Liberal Democrat member, Emma Nicholson, on the subject of upholding the tradition of sexual mutilation. Eighty-three percent of the population carries out this “form of torture”, the MEP said. She also expressed concern about the inadequate hosting conditions for Iraqi refugees in distress who, in accordance with a request from the Egyptian interior minister, must have the sum of €10,000 available. Mr Aboul Gheith expressed surprise at this and promised to investigate the matter, while affirming that is counter to the hosting traditions of his country, a nation that is “7,000 years old”. The legacy of the Pharaohs was also used to counter criticism on genital mutilation. “We are an essentially Islamic society and the death penalty is to be found in the Koran”, which cannot be amended until mentalities change, said Aboul Gheith, to justify capital punishment.
When asked about the French proposal of a Mediterranean Union, he said he supported the project in principle but needed to know the details, pointing at the lack of indications on financing cooperation in this framework. “The idea is interesting and can help to bring North and South closer together, thus easing tensions”, the minister said, adding that the Barcelona Process “has not lived up to expectations”. To be successful, the French project should have the agreement of the EU which is not only made up of Mediterranean countries, he said, and it will also be necessary to know what countries would be a part of it, as it is doubtful that Israel and Palestine will be able to belong to one and the same Union. In short, he said, “there is still a long way to go. We are only at the first faltering stage”. (F.B.)